Joshua Bell - Musical Gifts: Joshua Bell & Friends (CD)

Facts 2013 holiday release. With Musical Gifts, world-renowned violinist Joshua Bell imagines friends coming to his home during the holiday and joining in on songs that celebrate the warmth, beauty and magic of the season. Following the concept of his critically acclaimed 2009 album, at Home with Friends, Bell is paired with a variety of special guests including Gloria Estefan, Alison Krauss, Kristin Chenoweth, saxophonist Chris Botti, jazz greats Chick Corea and Branford Marsalis, opera stars Placido Domingo and Renée Fleming, Michael Feinstein and a cappella group Straight No Chaser. "I wanted to capture the feeling and celebration of the holidays and that spirit of December," says Bell. Musical Gifts combines Bell's distinctive violin playing with fresh new takes on popular holiday songs. "I love the idea of celebrating music in ways different from how it was originally written, bringing in new arrangements and creating new repertoire."